STAR MOVES AHEAD WITH OPENING OF DIVISIONS IN SABAH

By : RAYMOND TOMBUNG

FOLLOWING it’s rousing launching in Sabah on January 6, the State Reformed Party (Star) is aggressively moving ahead with the formation of its divisions in all districts in Sabah.

It’s Chairman for the Sabah chapter, Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan confirmed this in an interview here today, in which he revealed that all districts are now in the process of selecting their founding committee members.

“The launching of the divisions will be held in a series of events throughout Sabah in February,” he said. “We have a positive problem in all the divisions being formed because of the overwhelming responses from the people, and this is causing a rtather hectic scramble for posts. We have to take a bit of time to sort things out.”

He said that as a multiracial party, Star is seen as a fresh choice for a new struggle and the people are calling and coming to see him to support. “Our gathering in Kg. Sinagang in Tenom last weekend, which was the first after the launching, was overwhelmed with hundreds of supporters,” he said.

“Now the demand for gatherings all over Sabah is increasing and we have to move faster than we expected. The people are really waking up to the new idea of reformation in Borneo.”

He said the overwhelming response is giving us confidence of making significant political changes in the state. “We are very optimistic about this prospect,” he said. “The people are tired of their situation and they want change. They are responding because they have seen a new powerful political ideology and formula in Star’s struggle.”

In response to question about the attacks by KDM-based Barisan Nasional parties, Jeffrey said they seem to be some sort of fear among these parties. “All these while they have kept quiet about UBF’s promotion of the Borneo Agenda, but now that Star was launched with a rousing publicity, they start attacking us,” he said.

“But they have missed the point totally. The issue is not Star or what party we are using, but the Borneo Agenda. I would like to challenge Upko, PBS and PBRS to attack the ideas and objectives behind the Borneo Agenda! Dare they say these objectives are bad for the people Sabah?”

“The people are coming to Star not because what Star is or was, but because of its courageous objectives,” he added. “They don’t care about the history of Star. What they want is a new future for Sabah. And they can see Star and the United Borneo Alliance (UBA) is the only serious promoter of this new vision.”

He also reaffirmed Star’s offer to work with all parties who share these objectives, and confirmed that discussions with several local parties are continuing behind the scene. “Don’t believe all those denials about this,” he said.

- Sabahkini